*** If you would like to purchase any copies of the photos, you’re most welcome to contact Helen at the Midland Express on 5422 1488 ***

Woodend District Netball Club held its Winter Grand Final Day at Buffalo Stadium on Saturday September 14. It was a fantastic day with close to 100 netballers taking to the court and family and friends turning up in record crowds to support the girls and boys. The level of enthusiasm, skill, fun and friendship was apparent throughout the day and a credit to all the players and their families.

The day commenced with the Under 11 Lightning Premiership (round robin) with four teams; Tartan Terrors, Red Robins, Blue Wrens and the Green Frogs playing short, fast and intense games to decide the top two teams. The Red Robins and the Tartan Terrors played off in a very close and competitive grand final with the Tartan Terrors coming through in the last minutes with two quick goals to win 10-8.

The Net Set Go players showcased the skills they had learnt all winter. After the young players had completed their all-important warm up exercises, they demonstrated a modified game of netball to the delight of parents and friends. Medals were presented to all players at the end of the match to great applause and big smiles. These very keen children progress to an Under 9 modified game this coming Summer Season.

The ever-popular parents/kids challenge match proved to be somewhat challenging! Many parents were tested by the athleticism of the young and ended up mostly on the ground contesting the ball. Fun was had by all and the children enjoyed seeing the adults exhausted after just 10 minutes.

The Under 15 grand final was contested between the Tartan Rangers and the Blue Koalas. The Blue Koalas led out strong in the first quarter to lead 7-0 at quarter-time. The Tartan Rangers fought back hard in the second quarter to bring the score to 7-6 with no score from the Blue Koalas. Both teams contested hard in the third quarter. The Blue Koalas came home strong in the last quarter to win by six goals, 19-13.

With the battle over for the day, players left weary and exhausted only to reappear for the presentation night at 5-7pm. The evening was a great success with all best and fairest awards, coach awards and best player in a grand final awarded.

Net Set Go shoot-out

– Clare Moloney

Under 11 shoot-out

– Lily Thomson

Under 11 dual best and fairest

– Sarah Duff and Kate Mahon

Under 11 runner-up

– Brydie Ritchie

Under 11 best player in grand final

– Charlotte Crook

Under 15 shoot-out

– Audrey Renwick

Under 15 best and fairest

– Maggie Little

Under 15 runner-up

– Alice McKinnon

Under 15 best player in grand final

– Roy Mahon

Coach Awards

Under 11

Tartan Terrors – Molly Renwick

Red Robins – Maddison Randle

Blue Wrens – Saffron Moody

Green Frogs – Alice Knox

Under 15

Tartan Rangers – Jessi Earl

Navy Jets – Alex Amos

Red Swans – Sophie Dawson

Green Bullets – Sarah Crowhurst

Blue Koalas – Eleanor Middleton

Purple Panthers – Oylmpia Binos

WDNC thanks all its sponsors for their support throughout the year as the club heads into the summer competition that commences on Friday, October 18. The summer competition is a great way for the youth to maintain friendships, form new ones and keep fit and active in a safe and healthy environment. With registrations filling fast for the summer competition, please register early to avoid disappointment. Summer registrations close on September 27.

Dream Cricket co-ordinator Rick McCarthy says there are special needs children who can be mainstream sportsmen and women.

“We are seeing results everywhere. In Wagga there is a young boy who is a very talented athlete but a very slow learner from an educational point of view. Now he plays regular sport on a Saturday,” Mr McCarthy said.

Speaking at a Dream Cricket event for special needs children at Wellington the Bradman Foundation the coach said he was seeing plenty of talent in central west and local children at Pioneer park.

“There are good examples here. There is one young boy who could play regular sport. It’s good for their confidence, health and of course a pathway to bigger things in the future,” he said.

“I am surprised with the skills here actually. There are some really good potential athletes.

“We challenge the kids with sticky wickets where they can use both hands to throw the ball (which) helps with motor skills’’

“We also have a thing called adjustment in which we move the markers to improve skills.”

The Dream Cricket program is organised by Rotary, the Movement Disorder Foundation and Bradman Foundation.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

IF you’re bored with listening to covers you’ve heard a thousand times or monotonous top 40 remixes when you go out, get down to the Bowlo tomorrow night.

This year’s Brainwake has a dynamite line-up and promises to be a solid night of live original music.

Dedicated to the loving memory of the late Tim Hartnett – who tragically passed away after suffering an unexpected cerebral haemorrhage at the age of just 21 – the charity fundraiser seeks to both provide financial support to the Goulburn Brain Injury Unit and raise awareness.

Music was one of Tim’s great passions and this year’s line-up has been hand-picked by his sister Kathryn, who says all three bands reflect her brother’s love for alternative rock.

“It’s all music Tim would have listened to,” the organiser told the Post.

“It’s the type of music Tim would have loved. It’s not heavy metal or anything like that but…I can imagine he would have gone to watch (these bands).”

Southern Highlands’ folk rockers Ploom and young guns Eklypse will kick off the evening before Sydney threepiece Lemonberry bring it home.

Lyrically, their songs muse over the ordinary challenges that face us in everyday life.

Their singles, ‘Good at heart’, questions the concept of individual morality.

“We play a couple of covers here and there but writing and playing original music and then getting into the studio to record it is our main focus…” Scott told the Post.

“(We’re inspired) by bands like the Foo Fighters and Body Jar… real live rock bands and not just that major label stuff… I think in the mainstream the focus is really put on music that will sell quickly but I suppose we like to focus on that golden era of rock n roll when music was more real, when it was made by musicians not by people that had never picked up an instrument on a computer.”

Their latest CD was recorded Main Street Studios in Wollongong and mixed in Seattle by legendary American record producer Barrett Jones, who has also recorded artists like the Foo Fighters, Nirvana and Evermore.

Lemonberry is starting to gain traction on the indie scene. They’ve had thousands of downloads on Triple J Unearthed and a couple of metro radio stations have been playing their single consistently.

By the end of the year they hope to have enough material recorded to compile a debut album.

Doors will open at 8pm tomorrow night. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased from Mosh Tix, Amy’s Flower Shop and at the door on the night.

All money raised on the night will be donated to the Goulburn Brain Injury Unit.

Lemonberry

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

For more than a decade, the Muswellbrook resident has been dealing with an ever-increasing problem, and she recently decided to take action.

She believes the council trees out the front of her house are inconvenient and hazardous.

Her argument is the roots are destroying her Manning Street driveway, the branches are near powerlines, leaves are clogging her drains, causing her garage to flood, and they block her view of oncoming traffic every time she enters her busy street.

“I’d like the trees gone – they’ve destroyed the gutters [but] the major concern is they’re in the line of sight,” she told the Chronicle.

“It has become more of a problem [as years go by]; we are constantly getting more traffic coming this way, a lot of hoons, trucks carrying cars.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve nearly been wiped out by cars or school buses.

“I don’t think council realises how busy it is.

“It’s a safety issue; they’re around powerlines too.

“How many times does my garage have to flood before someone does anything?”

This isn’t the first time Ms Telfer has brought up the precarious tree issue.

After putting in a service request in May and receiving no reply, Ms Telfer decided to call Muswellbrook Shire Council.

She was referred on to council’s technical officer recreation and building Wayne Bromfield.

“He [Mr Bromfield] said he remembered the trees, saw the problem, and agreed; but in the same breath he said the trees were healthy and not going anywhere,” Ms Telfer said.

“What can I say? I’ve done the right things, gone through all the right channels.”

During a Facebook vent on the Muswellbrook Community Notice Board, Ms Telfer got in contact with councillor Ray Butchard who advised her to email him the details and he would pass it on to council.

In a written reply to Ms Tefler’s request, council director of community infrastructure Neil Pope said: “The Jacaranda and Silky Oak trees have been found to be in good health and as such no work is warranted”.

“Roughly a week later the gutters were being ripped up and nothing has been done since,” Ms Telfer said.

The damaged gutters were removed, tar added in their place, followed by a coating of white paint.

Ms Telfer is not happy with the temporary work done by council or their responses and believes the best option is to just remove the trees.

“They are beautiful trees but they’re not meant to be this close to houses,” she said.

FOOTNOTE: There may be a happy ending to this story. Muswellbrook Shire Council has organised for a risk assessment to be undertaken, which could be completed in a fortnight.

FRUSTRATED: Muswellbrook resident Kylie Telfer believes council trees out the front of her Manning Street house are inconvenient and hazardous.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

THE Friends of Coodanup, with support from the City ofMandurahand the Clontarf Foundation, invite the local community to the Djilba Free Fun in the Park event this Saturday atTempletoniaPark.

Djilba means the season of cool nights, warm days, frequent rain,fertility and lushness.

The family fun day will be a great opportunity for residentsin Coodanup, Greenfields and surrounding areas to get together, enjoyhealthy activities and try a number of sports and games.

The event will be opened by Senior Bindjareb Elder HarryNannup, Mayor Paddi Creevey and Junior Mayor Charlie Dann before the ribbon iscut to officially open the park’s new football goal posts which have beeninstalled by the City of Mandurah.

The Clontarf Academy Coodanup and local footballers willthen take part in a football match.

People can have a go at netball, basketball, ultimate (frisbee),bocce and cricket, and there will also be face painting, a bouncy castle, acommunity painting activity and a free sausage sizzle.

There will also be information available about the StateGovernment’s KidSport program, which provides $200 vouchers to help familiesjoin sporting clubs.

The Djilba Free Fun in the Park event is supported by theWestern Australian Cricket Association, Peel Game Development, WA Ultimate,Mandurah Magic and Peel Thunder.

People are encouraged to leave the car at home and walk orcycle to the event and all are welcome.

For more information call Nick on 9550 3938.

People can have a go at netball, basketball, ultimate (frisbee), bocce and cricket at this weekend’s Djiba Free Fun in the Park.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

The junior Cowboys’ performance during the 2013 season was recognised at an event in which the club picked up two of the three big awards on offer.

The young squads exhibited great skills at training and presented some marvellous entertainment on game day, a fact that placed them in good stead at the 2013 Dubbo & District Junior Rugby League dinner earlier this month.

The Under-15/16s Cowboys were named Team of the Year with great praise of how the team showed their determination to play the game. Club president Graham ‘Nooty’ Blackhall for also picked up the award for the District Club Person of the Year.

This year a lot of people had seen some amazing league being played throughout the 2013 season.

The Wellington Cowboys have demonstrated a growth in fielding sides, a more mature attitude, and better performance at training.

Also up for grabs at the presentation are the AB Towney Most Outstanding Player of the Year, Memory of Luke Kelly Most Courageous Player of the Year, Memory of Rab Herring Club Person of the Year, Memory of Bill Darney Best & Fairest player of the Year, Trent Runciman Most Consistent Player of the Year and many more perpetual trophies.

The committee would like to thank those parents and volunteers who help with the growth of members in the club.

Also, thanks to the Wellington Soldiers Club, H & B Concreting, Holicm, OEC and other donors for positive support in providing an opportunity for local youth.

The presentation is to be held at the Wellington Soldiers Club at 3pm on Saturday September 21 with the annual general meeting scheduled for 11am on Sunday September 22 at the club as well.

So, come along congratulate the achievements by the junior Cowboys.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

AN Eastgrove home could have become an explosive hazard after it was allegedly used to manufacture illicit drugs, police say.

David Jason Swan was refused bail on Wednesday morning when he appeared in Goulburn Local Court on a series of drug charges.

The 42-year-old local man didn’t enter a plea but Magistrate Richardson made his judgement because the defendant was in breach of bond. There were also questions around how bail would be posted.

Charges were laid after police executed a search warrant on Tuesday morning where they found a large amount of equipment allegedly used in the manufacture of illegal drugs.

“As a result of locating that equipment and the danger that is present in those sorts of situations police withdrew from the location and got specialist police down from our Chemical Operations Branch in Sydney,” Acting Local Area Commander Acting Superintendent Evan Quarmby explained during a media briefing on Wednesday.

While the scene was deemed safe to surrounding residents, Acting Superintendent Quarmby said illicit drug labs had the potential to be extremely volatile and dangerous. As a result, safety was their number one priority.

“There are risks associated with these types of operations and they are that the chemicals used are highly volatile, they’re very flammable and can be explosive as well as corrosive. There are also risks we need to take into consideration for the police that are in there with chemical vapours and those types of hazards,” he explained.

“Currently the situation is safe. We have the experts on scene, we have the NSW Fire Service on scene and we’re taking all available precaution.”

In court, Detective Senior Constable Croker from the NSW Drug Squad testified that the manufacture of illicit drugs was highly dangerous and the fact that the alleged lab was housed in a residential area made it ‘doubly’ dangerous.

Detective Croker testified that the type of equipment found was commonly used to manufacture methyl-amphetamine.

He also attested that hand written instructions on how to cook the drug were located on premises.

Prosecutor, Seargent Chris Toole asked bail be refused on the grounds that Mr Swan’s home had not been cleared by investigators and was not able to be returned to.

He also believed the defendant would be a flight risk saying the alleged drugs charges were very serious and more charges were likely to be laid in the coming days and weeks. The defendant was also in breach of bond.

Swan’s solicitor Joe McNamara argued it could take months for police to properly analyse all of the evidence so his client shouldn’t have to sit in jail and wait.

He contested that his client had a good record of complying with court orders in relation to criminal matters.

Mr McNamara said his client could stay with his brother and that his mother was prepared to offer her house as collateral for bail.

Magistrate Richardson found the defendant was in breach of bond and denied bail. He said he would need to see proof of ownership of his mother’s home plus an evaluation before the offer could be accepted. One hundred thousand dollars cash would also be required.

The matter was adjourned until November 13. Requests for bail can be made at any time.

SAFETY FIRST: Specialist police continue to secure and investigate a scene in Eastgrove where illegal drugs were allegedly manufactured

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

Young is set to feature in a special DVD focusing on the region’s Gold Trail and its rich history.

A Wagga film crew called Blue Clay productions was in town recently filming the DVD and interviewing three locals at the Chinese Tribute Gardens and Chinaman’s Dam.

Wet and foggy conditions may have put filming on hold for a brief period but founder of the Gold Trail, Kim Johnson, deputy mayor Ben Cooper and even a Year 11 Young High School student by the name of Ryan Wells finally had their moment in the spotlight a few weeks ago.

Chairman of Gold Trails Incorporated, Brad Thorsby was also interviewed while the film crew was in town.

Mr Thorsby just so happens to be a descendant of a famous figure during the Lambing Flat riots, James Roberts.

Roberts of Currawong Station, about 25 kilometres out of town, gave sanctuary to the Chinese during the riots, feeding and housing up to 1276 of them for months on end.

Mr Johnson has dubbed the DVD “a huge education tool for the future”.

It includes historic areas and their festivals along the Gold Trail, such as Grenfell, Peak Hill, Forbes, West Wyalong, Temora, Junee, Adelong, Tumut and Tuena.

“The DVD is about how it all started and the importance of the Lambing Flat riots and bushrangers,” Mr Johnson said.

“It’s to make it more exciting for people to visit the towns,” he said.

Cr Cooper spoke about how and why Young has a connection with the Chinese and why Young Shire Council supports the Gold Trail initiative.

Ryan from Young High had a chance to be involved in the DVD filming because he is very keen on Young’s gold history.

He goes panning for gold in the gullies around Young and has even made his own sluice.